Trump: If states can't run elections 'honestly,' then 'somebody else should take over'

President Donald Trump connected Tuesday said "the national authorities should get involved" successful elections successful states that are incapable to "legally and honestly" administer them connected their own.

If they can't, past "somebody other should instrumentality over," Trump said successful the Oval Office aft helium signed a measure to money the national government.

The comments amusement Trump is not backing disconnected his caller proposition that Republicans should "nationalize" elections, adjacent arsenic Democrats rise concerns that the medication whitethorn effort to interfere successful the upcoming midterms.

"If a authorities can't tally an election, I deliberation the radical down maine should bash thing astir it," Trump said successful the Oval Office, referring to the fistful of Republican lawmakers lasting astir him.

He had been asked what helium meant when, successful a podcast interrogation released Monday, helium called connected members of the Republican Party to "take implicit the voting."

"The Republicans should say, 'We privation to instrumentality over. We should instrumentality implicit the voting, the voting successful astatine slightest galore — 15 places ... the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,'" Trump said successful that interrogation with erstwhile lawman FBI manager Dan Bongino.

Trump spoke astatine the White House hours aft the House narrowly approved a measurement to extremity the partial authorities shutdown. That ballot was adjacent due to the fact that hard-line Republicans wanted to compel the Senate to see the SAVE Act, which would institute elector ID requirements crossed the country. Trump has urged legislature Republicans to walk that bill.

States are chiefly liable for governing their ain predetermination systems nether the U.S. Constitution. When asked astir that information connected Tuesday, Trump replied, "They tin administer the election, but they person to bash it honestly."

He besides said, "If you deliberation astir it, a authorities is an cause for the national authorities successful elections. I don't cognize wherefore the national authorities doesn't bash them anyway. But erstwhile you spot immoderate of these states about, however horribly they tally their elections, what a disgrace it is."

Trump echoed his predominant assertion that elections successful the 2020 rhythm — erstwhile helium mislaid his reelection bid to erstwhile President Joe Biden — were "rigged" and "crooked." There is nary grounds of wide fraud successful the 2020 elections.

"Take a look astatine Detroit," helium said. "Take a look astatine Philadelphia. You spell instrumentality a look astatine Atlanta."

"Look astatine immoderate of the places that — horrible corruption connected elections, and the national authorities should not let that. The national authorities should get involved," Trump said.

"These are agents of the national authorities to number the votes. If they can't number the votes legally and honestly, past idiosyncratic other should instrumentality over."